This was fun, though I question having the narrator being a cat. Other than the basic premise, they didn't seem cat-like at all, and knew way too much about humans to be believable. I did enjoy their picking up of slang throughout the years, but I still think the story would have been better served with a human ghost.

DNF @ 33%

ALRIGHT i wish i liked this. it was not my cup of tea and honestly i don't care to slog when i'm already 3 chapters in. The book being the POV of a cat who dies sounds so interesting. The Cat-God offered a deal to have him go back, with different conditions.

I really loved the idea, but so far its just dull characters that are just existing, while the cat watches and for most of the book can't do anything to help. MEH.

History through the eyes of a cat. The unique story blends suspense, drama, and the paranormal. A fun read. Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Ghost Cat is a blend of all of my favourite things - reading, history, and cats! I loved reading from Grimalkin’s POV and there were a few times I got teary-eyed thinking of my past cats and their transitions from what I hope was one life with me to one of their other nine lives to play or watch! It was a bit of a slow read for me but still such a cozy comforting read and i definitely recommend!

Super cute and wholesome! A fairly quick read, and Grimalkin reminds me a lot of my own cat. I thought his POV was interesting and it was neat to see his perspective of all the different decades.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an eArc of the US version of The Ghost Cat. (Even though I'm writing this way after publication.)

At the start of this book, we meet Grimalkin at the end of his first life and follow him throughout eight ghost "lives" centering around events in history of varying importance all taking place near 7/7 Marchmont Crescent, where Grimalkin lived the entirely of his first life. The book started out strong; the introduction of the cat sith was super interesting and the idea that cats are bound to obey the law of three when it comes to their lives like in the English proverb, though it was a bummer that Grimalkin didn't get to decide for himself what kind of life he was going to be living.

I preferred the beginning stories and the way we got to view moments in history in a more casual setting. A lot of the events I had learned about in school but it's the still moments like the conversation between Sarah Fleming and Abigail Rockefeller that demonstrate the work that went into those discoveries and achievements. It's a reminder that even though the event is historic today, at the time, it was filled with civilians just trying to make it to the next day (like the Fourth Haunting). However, as the stories progressed into the latter 19th century and then modern times, I lost interest in the stories. The moon landing didn't seem as thoughtful and while I know it affected more those in the race, I found myself wondering why it would be included in this book. It didn't seem to really affect anyone in Edinburgh beyond an excuse to party. Following this chapter, it didn't seem that much thought was put into the occasions; they were merely stepping stones to get to the current year and the self-insert. The narration style was also hard to fall into. I loved the idea of a cat's perspective, but I wish it had been any other cat. For a cat born and raised in Edinburgh, he thought more like a posh Englishman. I would have thought he'd have taken a little more after the mannerisms of Eilidh, since they had a strong bond, but instead his narration style made it seem like he'd come from nobility and made him appear condescending and pretentious.

Finally, I wasn't really a fan of the author insert, and another detraction was how the author had the cat refer to the couple. He was the "Brass Man" while his wife was the "girl"? Gross. Their entrance into the story seemed to override Grimalkin's role and his ending was anticlimactic and unsatisfying. <spoiler>I'd have loved him to have another conversation with the Cat-Sith like at the beginning of the story. Cat Sith was so upset to have missed his passing; it would have been great to be "picked up" by the Cat Sith and escorted to the next stage of his existence, walking him to the light even. But it's like Grimalkin just faded into the house itself. The epilogue also didn't make any sense because why was the Cat Sith there? He couldn't have been retrieving Grimalkin because he passed three months prior, and the cat living in the house was alive and stayed alive.</spoiler> It was a book with endless potential but not enough follow through. I would have liked it better if his lives had been tied to Eilidh and her family, given she's the one who brought him into the home, instead of the house itself but then the author would have lost his ability to write himself into the story. This book will be for someone, but that isn't me.

We follow a victorian age cat that takes his last breath but comes back as a ghost to finish 8 of his 9 lives. Grimalkin goes through 120 years and sees the world change.

This book was super cute and unique that we get to see time change through the lens of a cat. The historical references throughout the book were interesting to see and how Grimalkin reacts. We stay roughly around the same home Grimalkin grew up in and how it changes and the occupants change over the years.

Overall this was a cute, quick book to read as a cat lover. It was lighthearted but educational in a way that I would recommend this to anyone!

I enjoyed the Ghost Cat! The idea that it was told from the view of a cat was so much fun! I really liked how the events were portrayed through time and that we got to experience them through Grimalkin. He was a little sassy and a touch whiny, but it was still fun.

My favorite part was the 1990's nostalgia! Those were my favorite years growing up and it was awesome to live through them again.

My absolute favorite character was Eilidh and I hope you'll agree with me when you get to her in the story. She is an amazing character and very well written!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for acces to this arc!

I was really excited about this one but it was pretty meh. I feel like it read more as a textbook. I wanted more cat antics. Since the cat died in the beginning, it was hard to invest in him throughout knowing he had a time limit and was now just a ghost. And the scene with the mythical cat was weird. It got less exciting from there. I get the point and I appreciate the snapshots of humanity, but it felt too short and serious for what it was trying to do.

It's 1902 and Grimalkin the cat is happy to see the human who rescued him as a kitten, Eilidh, Eilidh is the servant at 7/7 Marchmont Crest in Edinburgh. He enjoys basking in the warmth of the sun from the window and from the fireplace. He enjoys listening to the publisher debating the merits of different books. But, Grimalkin dies and then is granted the remaining 8 lives by his Sith Cat. But he's to be a ghost cat, haunting Marchmont Crest.

His returns are brief but he is able to observe the various inhabitants of the place over the next 120 years and learn of world events. Grimalkin is happy to have no more aches and pains and is variously intrigued and puzzled by the changes he sees in the building, technology, and the lifestyles of the property's dwellers.

Grimalkin is also thrilled to be with Eilidh at various moments of her life. She is his person. But, at the end of his lives, he's also happy to rest. Any cat lover will find this a satisfying read.

Ghost Cat was such a wonderful cozy read with an interesting format. I loved the historical aspects of the storyline which kept it fascinating to uncover during his journey. Each "haunting" was so richly developed and interesting and I loved that the characters overlapped through time. Anyone looking for something lighthearted, cozy but still engaging will love this book.

I have previously submitted this review and it’s not showing up………I enjoyed this book. Thought it was clever, original and I would recommend this to friends

this unfortunately fell really flat for me & i have dnfed it about 30%, i enjoyed the premise and the storyline but it felt like something was missing personally from me but i do think a lot of other people would enjoy it if they gave it the chance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alex Howard for letting me review this book.

It took me a bit to get into but it picked up after awhile. I think that the language can be hard for some people to grasp but I enjoy the footnotes added for some assistance. I think the story felt simultaneously too short and too long at the same time. I would've enjoyed a bit more of the lives he spent as it was mostly descriptions of the house or era. I think the cat himself was cute, even if he was a bit judgemental at times, but what do we expect from a posh cat? I found the premise of the story intriguing and it was executed relatively well!

⭐️: 2
DNF. I tried to get into it, but it didn’t hold my interest Maybe I’ll give it another chance at a later time.

This one started off with lots of promise until I hit midway. Time travel is one of my favorites when it comes to nostalgic reads with a dash of magical realism. It gave off very cozy feels and I was excited to be part of this readalong for The Hive. Unfortunately it wasn't exactly what I envisioned and the writing style and tone together was difficult to push through. The storyline also didn't capture my imagination as I had hoped and although it was readable, it wasn't great.

I really, really wish I loved this more. But I would say it's honestly closer to 1.5 stars than 2.
I went into this that it would be a very cozy read about a ghost kitty observing the changes in the world around him. But it was less cozy and more fantasy. I knew right off the bat that this wouldn't work from me when the kitty went to kitty heaven and it honestly reminded me of the cringey CGI werewolves in Breaking Dawn Part 1-- I just couldn't take that seriously. I don't think we needed those parameters/challenges for this story. It would've been enough just have a kitty wake up as a ghost, watching the world change around him. But this was just over complicated and weirdly done. Bummer.

Wow! I was expecting something totally different going into this book. Honestly it was fantastic. It’s almost like a coming of age story for the cat. And it for some reason gave me Hocus Pocus Binks vibes. Maybe because he is living in multiple generations and seeing times change.

I really enjoyed this book and like how the ghost cat is telling the story and explaining all the changes in time.

The idea of this book was very cute. The execution fell a bit flat for me. The book was all vibes with a big focus on history. We follow a cat named Grimalkin who, at the end of his first life, accidentally doesn’t get his other 8. The Cat-Sith offers him the chance to live his other lives as a ghost cat. We then follow his journey through time.

The cat’s reaction to different technology and slang was cute. Unfortunately he wasn’t very likable and was super judgmental. Basically a a furry curmudgeon. If you’re looking for a slow walk through random bits of Scottish history this was a creative way to take that journey. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

This book didn’t really hold my attention at all. It might be a personal preference. Not really into historical fiction.